


You Know The Value of Miracle.

by anauspiciousomen



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst and Romance, Animal Transformation, Drama & Romance, Fantasy, First Love, First Love/First Love, First Love×First Love, Happy Ending, He is haughty but deeply in love.—top, High Fantasy, Light Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Oriental feel fantasy, Orientalism, Original Character(s), Resolute Noble Beautiful—bottom, Romance, Slow Romance, Sweet, Transformation, Translation, adoration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:46:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anauspiciousomen/pseuds/anauspiciousomen
Summary: The story of a knight and his beloved, a little strange selfish servant.They are both first loves and unrequited love.
Relationships: Original Male Character & Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

  
  
  
  
  


I hate waiting.

A pissed voice hear from just beside, ‘Knight’ Li Quan raises his eyebrow.  
He think, why this man always uses no-good tone like this.

Thinking that this man's bad character will never be cured, and that there's no point in reacting and turning to face him, Li Quan decides to ignore him.  
Li Quan quietly continues his reconnaissance mission.  
  
It's evening when he was assigned this mission.  
And now it is already late at night, in the starlight falling.  
The stars in the sky are so beawty as breathtaking, but it's none the better for the change for the view through the telescope.  
The forest across the river. There is no suspicious activity so far.

However it is night.  
We have the advantage of being on top of a cliff.  
However, in order to avoid being seen from the other side of the river, the use of glowing stones is kept to a minimum, so I have to concentrate hard or I might miss the changes.

So, in truth, this is a job for a man with better eyesight and better night vision —— the man just beside Li Quan.  
However Li Quan already knows very well that man is not the kind of guy who would be meek in these sober jobs.

He is not a fan of that kind of behavior.  
He's not good at that kind of behavior, this guy.  
  
(That time and that time and that time: ......)

The wrinkles between Li's eyebrows seem to deepen just by remembering the past.

His eyebrows, which are usually nicely arched.  
Beneath those eyebrows are long eyelashes and dark eyes with a strong sense of purpose.  
And a small, shapely nose, and lips that are as red as fruit. They are complemented by his long, black, beautiful hair.  
He is so beautiful that he is usually said to be "so beautiful that even the goddess of the moon hides".  
He is dignified, noble and even a little cold. Right now, the situation is particularly marked by that coldness.

Because.

——''It's okay this time.”

Li Quan believed the man’s word and experienced many trouble.  
The number of times is innumerable.

And the cleanup was the work of the knight, Li Quan.  
The man is just saying something silly.

"That's strange."  
"That's so strange."  
"I thought I could do it properly."

Only such a thing.

Perhaps the man may have trouble this time as well.  
In that case, Li Quan wants him to do nothing.  
All the man is good at is rampaging, kicking and destroying his surroundings.

However the man gets up.  
Li's wish did not come true.

Li Quan glances at the man.  
The man's whole body and his long-hair have mud-dusts and pieces of dead grass.  
Because he was lying directly on the ground.

He looks like he has great confidence in himself and looks like making a fool of others.  
However he is very goodlooking man.  
Brilliant manly eyes, well-shaped nose, tight mouth. Tall and tightened good figure, beautiful glossy dark hair. The hair looks like alluring dark green in a trick of the light.

So Li Quan wants him to be properly dressed and decent.  
Li Quan is ordering clothes for a man to wear on the battlefield.  
However he doesn't seem to care.  
  
(Your attitude is horsey.)

Li Quan murmurs in her heart.  
Beside Li, the man ruffles his hair carelessly.  
Then the man says again.  
“I don't like to wait. Let's just attack on our own.”  
The man then shuffles his chin toward the other side of the river.

Li Quan thinks.   
(You really can't "wait.")

Li Quan sighs and silently goes back to his scouting duties.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

The Sei-Bou Kingdom of chosen by heaven.  
The proof of this is none other than the “spirit animal Qi Ji.”

With that as an auspicious omen, Sei-Bou Kingdom embarked on an expansion of its land at a time when it was known in history books as the "Ancient Era".  
The kingdom despite the fact that up until then it had been only an inconspicuous country in the continent, there were three reasons why it took such a gamble, or thought it could win.

One was that the kingdom had a lot of treasure. The funds were ample.

Secondly, there were sorcerers who could use spirit magic.

And the third was because of the "Qi Ji", an odd-shaped treasure that only this country could acquire.

“Qi Ji”.  
It is a human, a horse and a weapon.  
How it came to be is not known. It is a mystery.  
One theory suggests that the creature may have been created by a sorcerer for a lark, and then fled in search of freedom.  
That explanation seems false, but it is the most convincing.  
“Qi Ji” is such a strange creature.

Normally, “Qi Ji” are human, but they can change their appearance to horse at will.  
And when it's in horse form, it's bigger, more agile, and faster than a normal horse. Moreover, it has the intelligence of a human being.  
Therefore, “Qi Ji” naturally became the best weapon in the world.

Rulers controlled Qi Ji's actions and thoughts through magic in order to make her obey people.  
They also placed "knights" with superior physical abilities on them to control them.  
He sent them on expeditions to the surrounding countries.  
With each expedition, “Qi Ji” exceeded expectations, kicking horses, scattering men, and washing the land with blood with his steel-like hooves.

Initially, the surrounding nations thought that they could counterattack it. However when they saw the strength of “Qi Ji”, they shuddered, feared, and eventually understood.  
There was no way to resist this monster.  
That meant that there was no way to win the war against the Sei-Bou kingdom, so the sooner we surrendered, the better.

Of course, some countries continued to resist.  
However those countries also lost their people and their land.  
Wiped out.  
Became "nothing.”


	2. Chapter 2

"Look, we spend long time. Let's finish our work and go home. How long are we going to do this?”

The man said. He sit with his buttocks on the ground and kicks the dirt under his feet and plays with it. His name is Liu Lan. Now he is human form. He is Li Quan's “Qi Ji”.  
  
(Shut up)  
Li Quan raises his eyebrows more and more.  
His skin is smooth, translucent and white. Now, his temples are trembling slightly.  
He wants to scold Liu Lan, but if he complains, Liu Lan will probably be happy.  
He is a very cynical person and he hates to sit still and loves to harass the knights.  
Li Quan takes a deep breath to calm himself, and then, in the quietest tone possible, he tells Liu Lan.

“I've been given the task of scouting the other side of the river. Until further notice, I will continue to work as I am.”

“What? The men who gave you this order is probably drinking in their unit right now, and yet you continue to work?”

Liu Lan looks like he said, "You look like an idiot."  
This “Qi Ji” really doesn't like knights, Li Quan thought to himself.

Liu Lan is a very good “Qi Ji”, and he has a lot of abilities that other “Qi Ji” can't match.  
However until now, The knights who had ridden him once did not want to ride him again. This is because of his character.

An ordinary “Qi Ji” can be controlled by the magic reins.  
If the knight used the reins and the whip, he would be able to move the "Qi Ji" as he wished. This is because the “Qi Ji” is bound by a "spirit magic sign".

However.

This “Qi Ji” is not satisfied with it. He doesn't obey it honestly. He continues to resist.  
A normal “Qi Ji” is subjected to strict discipline in the training stage before being allowed to meet a knight. For behave as a full-fledged “Qi Ji”.  
However Liu Lan doesn't follow them.  
So, no matter how hard the knight pulls on the reins and whips him to make him obey, he continues to be himself and will not calm down.  
It was so embarrassing for the knight to fall off his “Qi Ji” that before long no one would ride him.  
This “Qi Ji” is very very strong and runs very fast, so he is much more capable and has more qualities than other “Qi Ji”. If you ride this “Qi Ji”, you will get more credit than any other knight.  
The knights know this very well.  
However they chose not to fall off the horse rather than to have more honours.  
They chose not to be humiliated and not to fail.

——Except for Li Quan.  
Because he had nothing to lose.

And so far, he hasn't fallen off his horse. He is still riding Liu Lan. He has to put up with a lot, but he keeps riding.

Liu Lan's complaint continues.

“You know that, don't you? The people in the main unit who are higher than you in position and age, but in reality are completely useless. Why did you join such a useless expedition?”

“......”

“I understand that you don't want to miss an opportunity to take credit. Then you should attack now. The only way to take credit is to defeat the enemy.”

Liu Lan says so, but Li Quan is not convinced.  
Because we are scouting whether there is that "enemy" now.  
Liu Lan's remarks are too far ahead. He just wants to fight.

Li Quan lets out another sigh.

“You keep your mouth shut.”

Li Quan says to Liu Lan clearly.  
  
“You just want to fight. I don't want to be a part of your story.”

Li Quan looks at Liu Lan and says in a cold tone: "I don't want to talk to you.” When he touches the whip on his waist, Liu Lan finally shuts up.  
When he wants to be excited, he will continue to be excited even if he is struck by the whip.  
Howeverit is not that he likes to be whipped.  
  
(You should have been quiet from the start.)  
Li Quan thinks.

He is relieved that he has finally quieted down.  
However Liu Lan's words are also true.

(Liu Lan says things I don't want to hear)  
Li Quan thinks.

  


This country has been conquering the surrounding country and reigns over the continent. However, as time goes by, the situation gradually changes.  
Now, the spark of rebellion against this country is always rising everywhere.  
  
This time, this area where Li Quan has come on an expedition is also a place of unrest. It is a forest in the neutral zone on the border of a neighbouring country.  
In this forest, information has reached the capital that suspicious men have begun to build a kind of fort.

For this reason, “The council” decided to send his soldiers to check the information and, if it was true, to defeat them.

The expedition consisted of infantry, ordinary horses and cavalrymen who rode them. Li was called upon to guard and reinforce them. Because the knight with “Qi Ji” is a very strong fighting force.  
However the main unit of the expedition, which he is trying to help, is really useless.

We arrived there three days ago but we still don't know who enemies are or how many people they have.  
They are probably still drinking in the rear main unit, as Liu Lan said.  
They must be talking badly about Li Quan. That's the way it's always been.  
Half of the reason they speak ill of Li Quan is because they are jealous of the knight. The other half is about Li Quan's father.  
Li Quan's father is currently missing, but it is rumoured that he has been involved in a disgraceful incident.


	3. Chapter 3

Liu Lan sighs in his heart as he stares at Li Quan, who continues his boring work.  
And he looks at Li Quan's profile and sees his thin waist from his neck. There is a whip there.  
Liu Lan is a little relieved.  
(I'm glad I didn't get hit.)

He understands what he said too much. However he has no intention of correcting or apologizing.  
And that whip hurts. Li Quan is good at whipping.  
Being able to manipulate the whip well is due to his high ability as a knight. He is still young, but a skillful knight.

When he uses the whip, he knows exactly where to strike and how much force to apply.  
That is why Liu Lan follows his orders.  
Even though he doesn't really want to.  
Li Quan uses the whip at just the right time, so well that it makes Liu Lan very angry.

Besides, Liu Lan is confident that it will run faster than any Qi Ji without using a whip.

However now, Liu Lan can't show it off.  
Too bad, he thinks.  
I wish I could stop reconnaissance and rush in early.  
Even if the enemy is lurking, all we have to do is defeat them.

(His Highness is good at riding, but clumsy.)  
Liu Lan thinks.  
However, this word cannot be spoken.

If Liu Lan were to say it, Li Quan would be really angry and would wave his whip with lightning speed. Li Quan hates being called by this title.  
So Liu Lan will try to call him softly, only in his mind.  
He has a bad character and thinks that one day he will use this term. However he hasn't tried it yet because he wants to live.

That's right.  
Li Quan is not good at the world. Liu Lan thinks.  
For Liu Lan, he thinks as he looks at the only knight who continues to allow him to ride on his back.

From Li Quan's point of view, I would say, "It's your fault for more than half of my hardship."  
However, Liu Lan thinks, "I wish Li Quan was a little more sly."  
If Li Quan knew that he was thinking that way, he would be scolded for that reason.

Even so, Li Quan has a beautiful face.  
Liu Lan sincerely thinks so while staring at Li Quan’s profile.  
Liu Lan suddenly became Qi Ji one day a few years ago. Since then, he has lived in a special stable area in the castle, away from his family and friends.  
Therefore, he has much less chance to see ordinary people.  
However, as the knight is a nobleman, he does see the sons and daughters of noblemen. They are always very well dressed, but Li Quan is much more beautiful than them. It's incomparable.  
He is like a rare, delicate jewel.

Liu Lan hasn't accepted for a while that he has become Qi Ji.  
So he went wild, rebelled, and hated riding any knight. So he was rumored among the Qi Ji and others that he would be "discarded" soon.  
However, Liu Lan continues to carry Li Quan now. The reason is that Li Quan's riding is very skillful, and Liu Lan loves Li Quan's face.

Liu Lan thinks.  
Li Quan has a very neat look. The eyes, nose and mouth are well-shaped and well-balanced.  
His skin is soft and smooth. He also has a good temperament. He also looks like she has a good upbringing.  
And above all, LiQuan does not show any flattering attitude.  
He is very noble, and that is what Liu Lan likes the most.  
Liu Lan loves to break the pride of such a knight more than anything else.

For Liu Lan, ridiculing Li Quan is like a greeting. Or just foreplay.  
Liu Lan wants to upset him and bother him. Will he be upset if I rampage? Will he cry?  
Liu Lan wants to see Li Quan's resolute and beautiful face distorted. If can see it, will surely feel good.

Liu Lan knows that his hope is a bad taste.  
However, Li Quan drives Liu Lan's desire.  
While doing so, Liu Lan wouldn't want to die.


	4. Chapter 4

Looking back, ever since Liu Lan had "become" Qi Ji, he had been thinking of only two things.

I want to die.  
I want to kill the "someone" who put me in this situation.

That's all he thought about.

He doesn't remember much when he was a normal person.  
He should have been living a normal life.  
He was living happily in a small village with his family and friends. He played with his friends until late at night and had a girlfriend.

However his normal life changed in one night.  
Suddenly, he was transformed into a big horse that he had never seen before. He had become Qi Ji.  
Everyone looked at Liu Lan as if he was a monster.  
He was then sent to Qi Ji's training facility.

Living in this country, Liu Lan of course knew of Qi Ji's existence.  
It was a special weapon that protected the country along with the knights. However, he had never imagined that he would become Qi Ji.  
He had thought it was a fairy tale.

Remembering the past, Liu Lan frowned.  
He unconsciously touches the "spirit magic sign" on his neck.  
It's annoying. It's annoying. Howeve it's a mark of Qi Ji that will never come off.  
It is a sign of sacrifice to protect this kingdom. And he has two more. It's because he has a bad temper.

At the training facility, only those who "have become" Qi Ji like Liu Lan are gathered, and various trainings were carried out to become an excellent Qi Ji.  
The staff made us strip naked from the time we were in human form.  
And they said,  
"you don't wear anything when you are in the horse form, so you have to get used to it."  
"If you didn't obey, I'll struck you with a whip."

We were forbidden to leave the facility, deprived of our freedom, and ordered to live in the stables.  
We are told that the only reason for our existence is to serve the knights.

Eventually, one or two of our companions who could no longer endure such circumstances disappeared.  
Or they became fearfully obedient, as if something had been "taken" from them or "given" to them.  
It was as if they had no will of their own.  
  
In the meantime, Liu Lan heard from the wind that his family had left the village.  
He didn't know why. They couldn't stand the eyes of the people around them because their son had changed. Or they also sold their son and got enough gold to overflow their arms.  
He is not sure which it was. It didn't matter.

Liu Lan just wanted to die.  
Every time he took the form of a horse.  
Every time he was reminded that he was no longer a person.

And he wanted to kill him just as much.  
He wanted to kill the person who had put him through this.  
He don't care about knights.

He has been thinking.  
——I hate knights.

Unbeknownst to him, Liu Lan had received a lot of praise, such as being comfortable to ride and running fast.  
However Liu Lan didn't care about that.

He didn't mean to be obedient. Whenever a knight rode him, he would excite hoping to shake him off.  
Eventually, no one wanted to ride him anymore.

Li Quan was the only one who didn't leave.  


Remembering this, Liu Lan looked at Li Quan again.  
He's impeccably appearance. Graceful. Stubborn, cold, beautiful profile.  
(I really like his face.)

And above all —— Li Quan hates Qi Ji.

It's strange that we hate each other and yet we touch each other's bodies, Liu Lan thought.  
Liu Lan chuckles at the thought of his relationship with Li Quan.  
Right after that.

"?"

A faint noise arrives from the other side of the river, carried by the wind. Liu Lan furrows her brows deeply.

◇ ◇ ◇

  
Li Quan is relieved that Liu Lan has finally quieted down, but he is still concerned about the unchanging situation on the other side of the river.  
It would be nice if nothing happened, but is it really "nothing"?

When Li Quan received this mission, he had sent scouts to the other side of the river to scout the area while he was here.  
People who were familiar with the area had volunteered to help.  
They wanted to sell themselves as useful to the knight Li Quan. This was not uncommon.  
So Li Quan cast a blessing spell on them and sent them to the other side of the river.  
He ordered them to let him know immediately if there was anything even slightly unusual.  
All they had to do was let him know, and he would take full credit for it.  
And, of course, if nothing happened, to pull out as soon as possible.

Then——.

(Why "nothing"?)  
Li Quan thinks in his heart.

Yes, there was no word from the scouts.  
It's been quite a while now, and we haven't heard from them at all. And they're not coming back.  
Impatience and anxiety spread in his heart.  
It was then.

"Hey, we're going!"

A voice came from above Li Quan's head, it was Liu Lan.  
Standing up, Liu Lan is staring at the other side of the river.

Li Quan is annoyed: "Were you listening to me?"  
Liu Lan says. "I did, and I know you're good character, not one to disobey orders."

"...... Disobeying orders is not a character trait! Discipline has to be maintained!"

Li Quan stands up angrily and involuntarily.  
Liu Lan cowers his shoulders.  
Li Quan glares at Liu Lan.

It's true that Qi Ji may look like a horse, but his brain is that of a man, so he doesn't act in herds like a real horse. He can act individually. However, that doesn't mean that they don't have to follow the instructions of those who command the troops.

Since this was not his first expedition, Liu Lan should have understood that.  
Nevertheless, he pretends not to understand and provokes Li Quan. That's why Li Quan feels angry.

Then Liu Lan raises the edge of his mouth slightly and says briefly, "Sorry."  
His tone, voice, and smile don't seem to think so at all.


	5. Chapter 5

This attitude made Li Quan even angrier.  
Just as he was about to reach for the whip at his waist again, Liu Lan said, "The bandits in the forest will join with reinforcements. Are you okay with that? I…I don't care if we have more enemies."

Li Quan was surprised by these words.  
  
(Reinforcements?)

Li Quan looks at him and Liu Lan nods. Then he looks across the river again.

"A lot of people and horses will be arriving soon."

"No way. ......"

Li Quan hurriedly looked again through his telescope at the other side of the river. However he does not see any change.  
There is no light anywhere in the forest, nor does anything seem to be approaching.  
Eventually, Li Quan bites his lip and looks back at Liu Lan. He glares at Liu Lan and tries to tell him to stop talking nonsense.  
However before he can, Liu Lan says, "I can hear it."

He continues, "I don't see it either.I can't see it either. However I can hear it. Trust me."

"!"

Li Quan gasped.

Qi Ji's ears. It certainly has a special ability.  
Qi Ji has the characteristics of a horse. As such, it has also inherited the herbivore's ability to sense danger.  
They also have good eyesight. They can see everything except right behind them when they are in the form of a horse.  
They are also more sensitive to scents than humans, and above all, their hearing is incomparable to that of humans.  
It is the same when they are in human form, so if Liu Lan says she heard something, it is highly likely that she heard something that Li Quan did not.

However that's only if this Qi Ji is telling the truth.  
In his case, he might be saying something because he doesn't want to sit still.

Li Quan stares at Qi Ji in front of him.  
Liu Lan continues to stare back at him with a look of mockery on his face. It's as if he's testing Li Quan.

Li Quan thinks quickly.  
  
If there really are enemies on the other side of the river, and they even join the reinforcements, then Li Quan's work will be questioned.  
However what if we attack and nothing happens?  
If that happens, it will be said that Li Quan was too hasty in his actions. That would also be a blunder.

Besides, there is still no responce from the Li Quan's scouts.  
Don't they know that the enemy reinforcements are coming here? aware of this?  
Have they not noticed the anomalies in the forest? Can't they find the fort that's being built?

"Hey."

Liu Lan says.  
His call shows no respect for the knight, but he doesn't care. He says to Li Quan.

"You are supposed to be here to take credit. If you don't butt in now, what will you do?"

"…………"

Li Quan glares at Liu Lan.  
(You don't have to tell me that. !)

Attacking is to believe Liu Lan's words.  
And even if Li Quan did believe it, he couldn't just go in single-handedly at himself discretion. This time, he was only accompanying the expedition as a support.  
If we are going to attack, we will report back to the main force, and then go in after we receive new orders to attack. That is the procedure.

Li Quan thinks and asks Liu Lan.  
"......You heard the sound of reinforcements approaching the enemy in the forest are you?"

"Yes," nods Liu Lan.

Li Quan continued to ask, "You can't clearly see the enemy in the forest, but how can you know about the reinforcements?"

This is one of the reasons why Li Quan doubts Liu Lan's words.  
If he was aware of the reinforcements, then he would also be aware of the enemies in the forest.

Li Quan lookes at Liu Lan with a strong gaze, Liu Lan laughs, "Unfortunately, I don't know about that. However you haven't heard from the scouts you sent, have you?"  
"............"

He seemed to know about the scouts.  
Li Quan turns his face away, feeling a little awkward.  
Liu Lan was not an enemy, so it did not matter if he knew about the scouts.  
However, Li Quan feels bad, because he had kept it a secret.  
It's not a good feeling to be pointed out that you've been hiding something from him.

To Li Quan, Liu Lan laughs and says, "I don't know if you believe me or not. You don't have to believe me. However you'd better believe my ears."

Li Quan frowned and replied, "Your way of saying things is strange."

He thought for a moment and then nodded, "Okay."  
Li Quan decides to believe Liu Lan's words, because the situation will not change even if they continue to stay here.  
And the lack of contact from the reconnaissance is something happening.

Li Quan says to Liu Lan.  
"I'll report to the main unit first. I'll head back."

Liu Lan is surprised.  
"You're kidding!"

Liu Lan blocks Li Quan's way and says.   
"What are you talking about? You want to go back? Report? We're the closest to the enemy, remember?"

Li Quan gives as good as he gets.  
"The reason we are so close to the enemy is because I have received orders to scout. Out of my way!"

"No! We should go in first and get the most credit."

"Liu Lan!"

Li Quan shouts, because Qi Ji would not retreat.


	6. Chapter 6

"If you report, the advantage you currently own will be wasted. On the contrary, you may not be allowed to participate in the attack. I think. Your superiors , When you hear your report, you will say, ‘OK, let's use your report to charge the opposite shore. You and your Qi Ji should support here.’ Are you okay? "

Li Quan says. "Discipline is discipline!"

Liu Lan also says.  
"If you follow that discipline, you will be used conveniently and you will not get credit. If so, that discipline should be ignored."

"What do you say?"

"Are you afraid of punishment for violating orders? However that should be forgiven with a lot of credit. The battle is all about the consequences. Come on——let's go. I want to rampage quickly."

"Liu..."

"If you really want to get in touch with the squad, you can launch a signal stone. They should notice."

"Cut it out!"  
Li Quan scolds Liu Lan with a loud voice.

Liu Lan smiles lightly.  
"Even if I say this, you hesitates to do. Your Highness, you're very kind."  
"!!"

For Li Quan, he doesn't want to hear the most. He points his whip at Qi Ji. It was a moment. Li Quan himself was so fast that he didn't even notice.  
The reason he didn't hit Liu Lan suddenly was because Li Quan had a little reason left.  
However, Li Quan is furious.  
He hate being called by that title. Moreover, he can't stand being called by Qi Ji to be ridiculed.

"You……"

Li Quan feels like his eyes turn red because of his anger.  
When Li Quan calls with a roaring voice, Liu Lan looks at the tip of the whip pointed in front of him, and then at Li Quan's face.  
And when I looked at the tip of the whip again, I sighed a little. He hangs his head on one knee at Li Quan's feet.

"I'm sorry"

The voice of the apology is a heartfelt voice that is different from the apology a while ago. He just keeps bowing.

"…… Stand up"

After a while, Li Quan curtly says. Liu Lan starts up silently.  
He is even taller than the tall Li Quan.  
Li Quan looks up at him and says quietly.

"I'll use you"

Liu Lan's eyes quiver. Watching it, Li Quan goes on to talk.

"If you want so much, I'll use you a lot. Run until I says ‘stop.’ You have to work hard. Don't say you don't like it on the way. You wouldn't run like a normal horse with me on your back."

"As you wish"

Liu Lan responded so and immediately changed his appearance.  
The next moment, his appearance turns into a magnificent horse. It is the figure of Qi Ji.  
In the moonlight, his three "spiritual magic signs" sparkle. Neck, right front leg, and left rear leg.  
It is proof of his outstanding ability and a harsh temper.  
He is the only three-signed Qi Ji in the world.

Li Quan throws a magic signal stone when riding on Liu Lan. They should know that the main unit also had an abnormality in the forest.  
However, Li Quan does not know if they will arrive in time by notifying them at this timing.

(If I can't get credit, I'll be blamed badly ...)

It is decided that you will be punished for ignoring the order, not reporting, and setting up a battle without permission. The only way to recover is to give a big credit.  
——As this Qi Ji said.

Li Quan thinks.  
Certainly, what he says is correct. If I report, it must have been my last job on this expedition. However I was still going to be disciplined. I intended to obey the orders.  
Even so, he made the decision to plunge into the enemy.  
What I did ..., Li Quan frowned.  
Then, Liu Lan's voice is heard through the reins.

《If you think about it, you will be dropped.》

The voice is laughing.  
It echoes directly in Li Quan' head along the reins. Liu Lan's voice is in the hope of fighting the enemy.  
His fighting spirit is directed towards the enemy and the rider.

He doesn't even know his position and tries the knight.

"Are you prepared to ride me?"

Liu Lan urged, They approached the edge of the cliff step by step.  
The footsteps are certain and there is no sway.  
Although the scaffolding is not good, Li Quan doesn't feel any shaking while riding.  
This ride is wonderful, and it makes him sigh.  
Liu Lan's back is soft and the ride is incomparably comfortable. This feeling can never be explained to others.

From behind Li Quan, you can hear a faint horse roar.  
The main unit probably started to move.  
For this timing, they are likely to arrive here soon. Li Quan looks down from the edge of the cliff with a little relief.  
The only light is moonlight, so the bottom is so dark that he cannot see it. The forest on the opposite bank remains dark.  
However Li Quan doesn't worry. Qi Ji can see at night. He runs forever. He is not afraid of anything. So Li Quan isn't scared either.

Li Quan re-grasps the bridle and closes his eyes on Liu Lan's back. Enter meditation. Repeat deep breathing. Liu Lan's breathing is transmitted to Li Quan through the bridle and body.  
The moment when the two people's breathing became one.

"go!!"

When Li Quan opens his eyes, he gives a signal and presses Liu Lan's belly strongly with his feet.  
Liu Lan screamed with joy and ran down the cliff at once.

The momentum and stability instantly captivates Li Quan's heart.  
The excitement overflows from the depths of his heart. He's so ecstatic that riding.

Great.  
It's so wonderful that it trembles.

Liu Lan runs very fast. Besides, it is flexible and very stable.  
Li Quan feels deeply.  
If I straddle Liu Lan's back and feel the speed with my whole body, I will forget that it is a battlefield. I want to ride forever. It makes me want to entrust my body and soul.

While doing so, Liu Lan runs down the cliff in no time.  
In front of we, there is a river that makes a noise. Beyond that, there is a forest with darkness like the night itself.  
However, Liu Lan does not slow down.  
Li Quan doesn't intend to do that either.  
With Liu Lan, we can easily jump over a river like this. With his jumping power, there is no problem at all.

"Go——!"

When Li Quan calls out at the timing of taking off, Liu Lan makes a big leap and jumps over the river in an instant.

The knight and Qi Ji rushed straight into the forest——.


	7. Chapter 7

He feels like he have to keep discipline as a knight.  
On the other hand, the view of the garden is calm. Looking at it, he feel that his heart is also kind.

For Li Quan who doesn't want to meet many people, this royal castle is a place to avoid. Because there are a lot of people at any time. However, he doesn't hate the royal castle itself.  
The colorful seasonal flowers that can only be seen here are very beautiful. The scent that drifts in the wind is sweet and pure, and makes you forget your unpleasant feelings.  
The walls, floor and pillars of this castle are all white, so even more colorful vegetation and flowers shine.  
And again, this clean whiteness is also a proof that this castle is a sacred place that has never been invaded by another country.

This white, the red of the sun, the black of the ground, the gold that symbolizes the goods, and the rich green are expressions that are often used to praise the splendor of the country.  
At the same time, it is also a word of praise to Qi Ji, who has contributed to the protection and development of the kingdom.

Says ——

The white, of the grace of heaven.  
The Red, the perfect response to everything.  
The Black, the beginning and the source.  
The Gold, which never falls.  
The Green, the madly joyful.

These are five-superiors Qi Ji.  
And it is said that either good or bad will happen if all of them are available.

However, Qi Ji was a treasure of this country, and when gathered five of them in the past, bad things didn't happen. That's why everyone thinks they are harbingers of something to be happy about.

Of the five, Li Quan has known two.  
The black and The green.  
The red and The white are vacant. And The gold, who have been away from the royal capital for a long time.

In fact, Liu Lan is one of them. He is “ The green”.  
However, he is secretly called "green poison" or "green harm" because he has a bad temper in exchange for his outstanding ability.  
Liu Lan should know that this is a royal castle, but he has a sloppy attitude as if he didn't know it. He has a bad walking posture and follows Li Quan leisurely.

When he is in horse form, he has a wonderful walk that he would not be ashamed to show off anywhere, and he's so wonderful that he'd be proud to ride him.  
However why is it like this when it's in human form?

Or is it the talent of this Qi Ji that it can show its laxity only by the sound of its footsteps?  
The people around him look at him suspiciously.  
It's probably not Li Quan's imagination.

Qi Ji cannot leave the stables area without someone with him. That's why the presence of Qi Ji in the castle itself is rare. That's why it attracts people's attention.  
Even more so because of Liu Lan's unconcern for the solemnity of the castle.

Li Quan raises an eyebrow as he walks.

Li Quan really don't want to walk with a "danger" like Liu Lan. He want to stay away from him, except on make an expedition or when training him.  
Li Quan would like to tell him to stay in the stables.  
This time, however, Li Quan had a reporting job to do. That's why he had to bring Liu Lan with him.

(Stay quiet, ......)

Li Quan wished.  
Liu Lan can't help being sloppy, because that's who he is. It's just the way he is. So at least he should be quiet until he returns to the stables.

Then——

"Li Quan".

Suddenly called from behind. That voice is familiar to Li Quan.  
Looking back, there is GD. He is Li Quan's best friend.


	8. Chapter 8

He smiles at Li Quan and approaches.

He is strong and tall, and has a wonderful appearance that combines grace and fearlessness. Always, just being there is eye-catching.  
As soon as he appeared, the sign of the line of sight from the surroundings changed. Somehow, Li Quan feels that the number of women has increased.

GD is also a knight, and they were classmates in the knight academy.  
However, he is one of the most prestigious successors in this kingdom, and is now different from Li Quan's family, which is seen with white eyes from the surroundings.

When they were students, they spent time in the small world. It's like a garden. Good and bad.  
However, once they graduate and go out into the world, they usually follow the evaluation of the surroundings. In other words, they could be estranged.  
However, GD talks to Li Quan as intimately as before.  
It seems that people around him are implicitly saying, "Keep away from Li Quan," but he doesn't mind and professes that "Li Quan is a close friend and rival." He still has a friendship.

In the beginning of his acquaintance, Li Quan sometimes rebelled against kindness from him.  
Li Quan joined the knight's school after his father disappeared, when there were always terrible rumours about him.

Because Li Quan felt that everyone around him was alienating him, Li Quan was skeptical for a while that there must be something behind him, such as taking care of himself.  
However GD’s honesty and kindness gradually made Li Quan trusts him more and more, and now he is his dearest friend.

Sometimes Li Quan feels dazzled by his cheerfulness, but he is not proud, even though he is from a good family. That's what makes him different from the rest of us. It's refreshing to talk to him.

When Li Quan was at school, even when he won first place in Qi Ji's riding competition, he was the only one who complimented him.

Such GD has a great deal of trust from the surroundings.  
He himself is trying to live up to that trust. If he knew earlier, he would have volunteered to accompany him on this expedition.  
However, he couldn't go out because he was on vacation and left the royal capital.

When GD approached, he smiled and talked to Li Quan.

"You were back in the castle. You seem to have been active in the expedition."

Li Quan tries to reply. However, just before that, he frowned at Liu Lan's unscrupulousness.

——He is close!

When the knights are talking to each other, Qi Ji is supposed to leave a little as a courtesy.  
Qi Ji can hear the talk even if he is away from his ears, but it is polite to show the attitude of "I have not heard".

(Why can't this Qi Ji be polite? It must have been taught many times during training)

Li Quan looks at GD's Qi Ji.  
His Qi Ji was standing a little bit away from GD, as is polite. He is perfectly behaved, following GD, and not losing his manners.

The Qi Ji that GD always carries is said to be the most beautiful of all Qi Ji.  
His limbs are supple and his long black hair is very beautiful.  
He is Qi Ji, who "has the blood of the founder". It is a genuine Qi Ji from the time of birth, and it is a special position where he can choose a knight from the side of Qi Ji.  
It is one of the more special five-change Qi Ji.  
It is called "Primitive Black". The name is Ling-Jing.

He is as fine-mannered and beautiful as ever. Li Quan is impressed. However, he immediately takes his eyes off.  
Because of its birth, the founder Qi Ji and others have similar faces to both men and women.  
Therefore, Li Quan remembers looking at Ling-Jing.  
That black Qi Ji that disappeared with his father.

When his father was gone, a lot of curious and suspicious rumours were whispered. This is because the knight of the man and the beautiful female Qi Ji disappeared at the same time.  
Li Quan didn't believe such a rumour.  
He didn't believe it, but his father was slandered and he was very hurt.  
And even after a while, he hates Qi Ji somewhere in his heart. Especially the black Qi Ji.

Li Quan looks away from Ling-Jing and pushes Liu Lan’s body to make him step back. However he doesn't move at all.  
Li Quan is impatient and presses again. He doesn't want to be considered an undisciplined knight of Qi Ji.  
GD doesn't think so, but it is seen from the surroundings!

However, Liu Lan still doesn't work.

(Maybe on purpose !?)

Li Quan glares at Liu Lan. Then Liu Lan turns his eyes to "?".  
And he raises both ends of his mouth slightly.

"What's wrong? It's rare to touch me in a place like this."  
"touch——!?"  
"I was active in the expedition, so I wonder if you will stroke me?"  
"Liu ......"

Who does it to stroke!

Li Quan almost says "No!" and quits.  
This is the corridor of the royal castle, and there are people around it. This is because he remembered that there was GD in the immediate vicinity.  
Li Quan endured clenching his back teeth and making his voice rough, he said "step back" sharply in a whisper.

"You must not behave as if you were part of us."  
"......"  
"Step back!"  
"How far?"  
"Think for yourself!"

Li Quan is careful not to make a loud voice. However Liu Lan still doesn't work. On the contrary, the edge of the mouth goes up more and more. He looks very happy.  
Because he knows that Li Quan doesn't hit Qi Ji in human form. Unless there is something special bad.

Li Quan thinks.  
(He uses his wisdom only at such times ......)

Li Quan puts a lot of effort into the line of sight looking at Liu Lan.  
That is the time.

"Liu Lan, half a step is fine, back."

GD's voice is heard.


	9. Chapter 9

At that moment, Liu Lan's cheeks quiver, albeit slightly.  
Something like his alertness and hostility would have risen instantly. It is also transmitted to Li Quan.  
Li Quan involuntarily grabs Liu Lan's hand. As if he stopped.

In general, the knight is considered to be the master and Qi Ji the servant.  
And if a knight is carrying a Qi Ji, it is illegal for other knights to interfere with that Qi Ji.

In extreme cases, as long as the knight who is with the Qi Ji bears all the responsibility, the Qi Ji who is with the knight is free to behave in any way he likes.

In other words, all the responsibility for Qi Ji's behaviour is taken by the knight who is with him at the time.

For this reason, the knight does not usually advise or scold any Qi Ji other than his own. This is because that over-interference may end up being an insult to the knight who has the Qi Ji with him.

It is something that everyone knows.  
Therefore, the fact that GD "instructed" Liu Lan means that the prohibition was broken.  
However.

(You are not in a position to get angry)  
Li Quan thinks so while holding Liu Lan's arm.

Perhaps he hates being told by others about his actions. He is usually selfish.  
Moreover, it was GD like a knight's model that ordered him.  
Liu Lan hates not only Li Quan but "the knight". It is well known.

However, even so, it is Li Quan that can be said to GD here. Not Qi Ji.  
Besides, the reason why GD was careful was that Liu Lan's attitude was bad in the first place.

Li Quan feels the touch of Liu Lan's arm. It's infrequent. Li Quan usually does not touch the body of others. Qi Ji's body is even more so.  
When Liu Lan is in the form of a horse, Li Quan straddles his back. However he doesn't do that when he's in human form. It's strange.

Li Quan thinks.  
His body temperature is lower than I expected. It is strange that when he be a horse form, he is warmer than a person.  
His arm is stiffer than I expected.  
However, the limbs move very flexibly when he changes horse form. Its grace is breathtaking and inspiring to everyone who sees it.

His skin is smoother than I expected.  
And this skin becomes incredibly glossy when he will be horse form.  
Even if he is in many Qi Ji, the coat color will be so beautiful that he can see it at a glance.  
It changes to a special coat color.  
He is a special, green Qi Ji.

Every time got on him, Li Quan was overwhelmed with joy.

As soon as he remembered, the comfort of riding Liu Lan on the whole body of Li Quan revived. His body trembles comfortably.

(!!!)

Immediately after that, when suddenly Li Quan found himself, he hurriedly releases Liu Lan's hand.

His cheeks are hot with embarrassment.  
It's true that riding the Liu Lan is a great feeling. However this is the Royal Palace, in public. There is no way he can forget about it, remember how good it feels and indulge in it.

(What am I doing?)

"Um, ......GD......."

Li Quan hides his inner turmoil as he calls out to GD.  
He felt that he had to say something. However no words came out.  
GD did indeed put Li Quan ahead of Liu Lan, but it was not because he had any bad intentions.  
Of course, he didn't mean to insult Li Quan either. GD is not that kind of person. So Li Quan has no intention to complain to him.

However, Liu Lan's attitude became worse and worse after being warned. And GD knows it too.  
  
(So, what should I do?)  
Li Quan is in trouble…….

"Step back, Liu Lan".

GD says again, before Li Quan does.  
His tone is just as soft and gentle as before.  
Liu Lan glares at him, but he smiles graciously and continues.  
"If you don't back down, then I will be relatively closer to Li Quan. Are you okay with that?

(Hmm? Me?)

GD's words confused Li Quan.

Immediately afterwards, however, Liu Lan, who had not listened to him before, quietly backed down.  
And with one giant step!

Li Quan rolls his eyes and feeling like getting angry.

(Liu Lan!? You didn't move at all when I pushed you so hard! )

"Why???“

Li Quan asks GD.

Liu Lan hates GD. So why did Liu Lan obey him?  
Why did Liu Lan obey him, and in such an incomprehensible language? Is it some kind of magic?

GD smiles and says.  
"I was just saying that it must feel cramped with all the tall men crowded together. The castle has wide corridors, so it's no problem to talk a little further away.”

“............”

“Isn't that right? ”

“It's ...... well ......”

Li Quan murmur.  
He's somehow unconvinced, but he can't argue in particular.

Then GD says. “More than that, I've done something extra. sorry.”

Li Quan reply. "Don't worry about it.”

GD laughs and says "thanks."  
He smiles and asks Li Quan to change the subject.

“I'd like to hear about the expedition later. If it's true, I'd like to hear about it straight away, but I think it would be a waste to stand around talking about it. I've heard rumours that you've been fight so hard that everyone's surprised!”

GD says, his voice full of expectation.  
Li Quan, who has had to write a reflection because of his “hard fight”, doesn't know how to reply.

GD continues in a bouncy voice.

“Those who saw Qi Ji and the knights for the first time were amazed at how great they were. Some of them want to enter the knight school to become knights.”

“............”

“That's because you did so well.”

The GD was pleased with Li Quan's achievements. Li Quan felt both embarrassed and overly praised.

It is true that Li Quan did a good job. However, he also violated the order. And after all that fighting, we still didn't know who we were up against.

Li Quan recalls the battle of the expedition.

The enemy was mostly infantry, but there were also cavalry. They were better trained than Li Quan had expected.   
However their fortifications were in a style they had never seen before.  
They were different in appearance and clothes. There was no uniformity appearance of The language they used was a mixture of many different ones. They were like a jumble.  
However they had a lot of weapons. The enemy had left no evidence of their identity.

There were other curious things too.  
The fort they were building was a big one. Why hadn't they found it sooner? Also, the identity of the "reinforcements" that Liu Lan had spotted remained unknown.

Also, the scouts that Li Quan had sent into the forest were telling strange stories.  
They said, "We didn't find anything". They are not lying, but their memories are fuzzy.

(What does that mean......?)  
Li Quan thinks.

"......Li Quan......? What's up?”

GD calls out to Li Quan with an anxious look on his face. He shakes Li Quan’s shoulder.  
Li Quan looks up. He seems to have turned his head down without realizing it.

“Uh, ......”

Li Quan almost says, "I was thinking," but swallows the words. Because he thought it was rude.  
Then GD seemed to mistake Li Quan for being tired.

“I'm sorry keeping you. Please take your time to recover from your fatigue.”

GD said in a caring manner, then raised his hand lightly and left, "See you later.”  
Lei=Jing followed close behind GD like a shadow. Of course, he bowed gracefully to Li Quan.

Li Quan hears the women around him sighing all at once. They must have been staring at the GD, forgetting to breathe.

When Li Quan also lets out a breath and starts walking again, he hears a voice behind him.  
It was Liu Lan, who said, "As usual, GD is so handsome it's annoying.”

Li Quan raised an eyebrow at the words. Qi Ji shouldn't have said something like that to evaluate the knight.  
However, perhaps because Liu Lan can't see Li Quan's face, he doesn't mind and continues.

“GD is very popular among the female Qi Ji. However as long as that swanky black Qi Ji is around, no one will be able to get close to him.”

"Don't say anything about the other Qi Ji either!”

Li Quan couldn't take it anymore and stopped. He looks back.

''Liu Lan, if you want to chatter so uselessly, then get back to your stables!”

Li Quan says, pointing in the direction of the stables where Qi Ji usually live.

Qi Ji have a specific place where they can live. Because they are sometimes in the form of horses and sometimes in the form of humans.  
Through their training, they are able to control the changes in their human and horse forms. However, their control is not perfect, and they can change from human form to horse form at a moment's notice.  
In horse form, they are larger than humans. They also eat differently and move differently. As a result, they cannot live in the same places as people, and have to stay in special facilities.

The place is called the "stable district".

Trainers and stable hands also live there, but mostly Qi Ji. Li Quan thinks that if Liu Lan wants to gossip, he must do it there.  
Anyway, Li Quan doesn't want to stay with Liu Lan in such a prominent place, but Liu Lan is not understands with Li Quan's words.

This makes Li Quan even more unhappy.

"......Liu Lan, why do you insubordinate acts?”

"...... Uh, ......”

“What, speak up.”

“Mm……. Yes, I'll be clear. In this expedition, I have done a dangerous job, right? I want a reward from you.”

“What reward?”

——Reward?

Li Quan says.  
“......Liu Lan, have you misunderstood the meaning of 'punishment' and 'reward'?”

(I had to write a report of regret because of you!)

Li Quan was about to say it out loud, but held back. This is the Royal Palace. Must not forget that. However Li Quan's temples are trembling finely because of his patience.

Li Quan combs his hair with his finger, thinking that he should calm down. However when he sees Liu Lan's smirking face, he becomes frustrated.  
Li Quan takes a breath to calm himself and says to Liu Lan, "Have you forgotten?”

“I've already given you your reward. When the battle was over and I returned to the main unit——“

"What I was given then was food. It's just a recovery agent. It tasted bad and I didn't enjoy eating it at all.”

“............”

Apparently, Liu Lan was not satisfied with the special feed he was given after the battle.  
Li Quan says, raising an eyebrow.  
“...... I thought I gave you a good feed. It's expensive and very effective.”

Liu Lan replies.  
“If you had put your hands in the manger and stirred it, I would have eaten it with pleasure. However not that food.”

Li Quan says.  
“The feed was based on a secret formula passed down to him by an excellent trainer. The person who made it is the best person to make Qi Ji's feed. It was made by someone who knows more about feeding than I do.”

“So what?”   
Liu Lan complains.  
Then he takes an exasperated step towards Li Quan.

“ I wanted to eat what you made," he says.

Li Quan steps back. Then his back touches the wall. It's a dead end.  
Liu Lan still comes near. Li Quan, feeling annoyed by Liu Lan’s body, tries to push him away.

At that time.

“Oh!”

Hears a sticky, unpleasant voice from somewhere.


	10. Chapter 10

It’s voice was different from the voice of GD who had spoken to him earlier. It sound like they are looking down Li Quan, mocking them.

Li Quan regrets.

(I didn't want to stay here for any longer than I had to because of the possibility of meeting these people.)

However it's too late.  
Two men are approaching Li Quan and his Qi Ji.

They were the same age as Li Quan and GD when they entered the knights' school. In that sense, he is Li Quan’s classmate. However Li Quan and GD became a knight first, and one of them took time to become a knight and the other dropped out halfway through his studies.  
Both of them are inferior to Li Quan in horses, Qi Ji and riding skills.  
However, they are the children of high-ranking nobleman. Because of this, they have a sense of privilege and often harass Li Quan.

When they came near Li Quan and Liu Lan, they say,

"Look. who's flirting with Qi Ji here, and it's……”  
“Oh! It’s so unsightly.”

They smirk and stare at Li Quan and Liu Lan.  
Li Quan raises his beautiful eyebrows. Li Quan is fed up with the sarcasm from both of them.  
They don't admit that they are immature and slander the people around them anyway. They don't like people who are "better off" than they are.

For example, they speak ill of people who are kind to others, saying that they are "flattering."  
They speak ill of those who are kind‐hearted than they are, saying, "He is kind because he wants more money.”  
  
They are always harbouring ill will. Their way of thinking is not honest, it's twisted.  
And they say a lot of bad things about Li Quan, especially about his good appearance.

That was from at the Knight's School.  
They said. "Li Quan's good riding record must be due to the fact that he has a very close relationship with his instructor.”  
That is, of course, a complete lie. However they often told this lie. This made Li Quan feel very uncomfortable. They gave him a lot of trouble.  
Instructors can tell who is good at riding a horse just by looking at it. And they are inferior to Li Quan. However they didn't want to admit that, so they talked about Li Quan in a bad way.

It is the same after Li Quan became knights.  
Whenever Li Quan gets credit, they seem to say that he must be getting credit from the people who went on the expedition with him.  
However they always say, "Li Quan's father had a scandalous affair. That's why the other knights don't like him."  
These two words are contradictory if you think about it. However they do not care, they lie.

Li Quan puts the unpleasant words out of his mind and quietly pushes Liu Lan away, staring coldly back at the men.

“You have bad eyesight, that's why you look like that. Shouldn't you see a doctor?”

"What?”

The men distort their faces and shout. They stare at Li Quan.  
They have developed only their self-esteem. however the rest is immature.

For a while, they stare at Li Quan with uncomfortable faces. Then they sneer and say, "Hmph.”

“You're a cheeky one, you're so quick to talk back. If you talk so much, you must be good at seducing Qi Ji. You must have a pretty face and a good mouth to seduce Qi Ji into submission. Not because you're a good rider.”

“That's right. I wish I was as good as you and had the shameless to use any means necessary. If I had, I would have been a knight with ease.”

Li Quan is offended by the men's vulgar tone and voice. He clenches his fists.  
These people are not worth getting angry about. Should ignore them.  
That's what his reason tells him. However feelings are different.  
Every time they meet, they make fun of Li Quan.  
And the content is about what he is proud of. That is, about being a knight. It makes Li Quan more uncomfortable than anything else.

However inside the castle. Li Quan thinks to himself, "I don't want trouble.”  
Besides, the men are the sons of high-ranking nobleman. If there is a dispute, not all of them will be able to give a fair judgment.  
When Li Quan was in the knight's school, he had many bad experiences like that.

(Ignore it. Ignore.)

Li Quan bites his lip to hold back the anger that is rising in him. He turns his face away from the men and turns to leave.

However then......

"You are especially intimate with Qi Ji. Did you learn how to do it from your father, who ran away with Qi Ji?”

Their voices laced with mockery.

(.....!)  
Li Quan stops and he turns around.  
Even his father is insulted, so Li Quan can't patience.

However almost at the same time, he hears a voice.

"Oh, I remember.”

It's Liu Lan's voice.  
Everyone is startled by his loud voice.  
For a moment, Li Quan forgets his anger and Liu Lan puts his body between Li Quan and the men.  



	11. Chapter 11

"Liu......!”

Li Quan shouts at Liu Lan for getting too close to the knights.  
Just before Li Quan is about to tell him to back off, Liu Lan points at one of the men.  
The man was a drop-out from the knight's school.  
Liu Lan says with a smile.

“You are the one who fell from your Qi Ji during a riding lesson when you were a student at the knight's school, aren't you? You rode Qi Ji, who was very old and moved very slowly.”

"!!!!”

Liu Lan's words made the man's face turn red. He must be embarrassed.

Li Quan blinks. He did not know about it.  
Because even among his classmates, the progress of each class was different, depending on their level of proficiency, motivation and ability.  
Li Quan was in a group of the most talented students, and the man was not. So I had no idea what kind of training he was doing.

Li Quan is surprised and the man is furious.

Liu Lan laughs and continues talking to the man.

“You are famous among us. Because you fell before you let Qi Ji walk.”

(What?)

Li Quan looks at the man in disbelief.

The Qi Ji used for the riding practice are retired Qi Ji who are old or injured who are particularly good-natured and quiet.  
They move slowly and some are more laid back than normal horses.

And yet, he fell?

And if he fell before he was allowed to walk, that means he fell just by rode.

Li Quan thinks.  
(How do you do that?)

The man looks very embarrassed and angry at Liu Lan's words.  
His face is very red. Steam is coming out of his head. He stomps his feet in frustration.  
Then he shouts, "You!” and grabs at Liu Lan.

Li Quan catches his breath, but Liu Lan looks unconcerned. He doesn't seem to mind that the man is grabbing him by the chest.

“It's good," says Liu Lan.

The man rolls his eyes in surprise.  
Liu Lan laughs harder.

“I'm glad your precious body is safe. Aren't you? You're from a 'good family', you should take good care of yourself, you're not like Li Quan, are you?”

"............”

For a few moments, the man mumbles to himself, trying to talk back to Liu Lan. After a while, the man falls silent.

Liu Lan has teased that the man fell off Qi Ji. That has not changed. However Liu Lan uses words like "good family" and "not like Li Quan", so the man is happy to be tricked by those words.  
The man holding Liu Lan's chest loosens his grip.  
Then Liu Lan turns to the other man.

Liu Lan's eyes meet the man's, and he looks alarmed. He is a knight, so he knows how dangerous Liu Lan is.  
Liu Lan shrugs his shoulders and says to the nervous man.

“As you said, Li Quan has a very beautiful face. That's true. However if you really want to charm Qi Ji with your sexuality, you'd better consult GD rather than Li Quan, wouldn't you?

"GD? Why GD?”

The man's voice is upset, because Liu Lan's words are something he never imagined.

However Liu Lan continues.  
"Because he is very popular with female Qi Ji, you know? He's more popular than Li Quan, so why don't you take a cue from him?”

“............”

“If you can't ask him, I'll ask him instead. ‘GD, How are you seducing Qi Ji?’ ——You want to know this, right?”

“Stop it! Don't do that!”

The man shouts in dismay as Liu Lan laughs. And he shakes his head again and again. He is very troubled when Liu Lan does that.

Because GD comes from a more prestigious family than these pompous men.  
Moreover, he has a good reputation among the other knights and is close to the king and the prince.  
They shouldn't ask such a GD, "How are you seducing Qi Ji?”  
If they talk like that, he will hate them. That would be very embarrassing for the men.  
They distort their faces, click their tongues and say, "Enough!” and go away.

The sound of the men's rough footsteps gradually fades away.  
Soon it is quiet again. There is no more whispering from the people around. The people in the castle know what to do.

However, word of the trouble will spread.  
Li Quan thinks.

All he can hear is the sound of his own heartbeat.  
The only sound is the heartbeat of the "knight protected by Qi Ji."  
The sound makes Li Quan feel so pathetic and miserable.

(I was protected by QI Ji.)

Thinking about it, Li Quan's heart is filled with uncontrollable frustration.

"You've been selfish......”

Li Quan mutters, and Liu Lan turns around.  
When his eyes meet Liu Lan's, Li Quan's anger becomes uncontrollable.

“You have done something unnecessary. You didn't have to interfere in our conversation. As for those men, I could have dealt with them on my own. I didn't want you to cover for me. However you did it on your own. You're only Qi Ji. YOU ARE ONLY Qi JI!”

"......”

“And to mention GD's name, it's as if I'm borrowing his authority! It's very embarrassing. It's wrong. I don't want to be thought of that way!”

“............”

“It's because you didn't go back to the stables that those men got involved in the first place. It's because you've been following me. I'm in trouble because of you! It's always, always, always your fault that I ——“

Li Quan is aware that his voice and words are becoming more aggressive than usual. However he can't stop himself from doing it.

He didn't like the men's bad words about his father.  
He hates the men’s bad words about him.  
He hates himself for not saying something back and for giving up.

Liu Lan defended Li Quan. However he is Qi Ji. It was a shame for Li Quan, a knight, to be defended by Qi Ji.

Li Quan was saved by Liu Lan. He was relieved.  
However..........

  
Many feelings are swirling in Li Quan's mind. It's like a violent storm, which Li Quan can't control.  
The inside of his eyes become hot. His fingertips are hot and numb.  
Li Quan doesn't know what to do, he looks down and bites his lip. Then, he hears a voice.

“I'm sorry ....... I'm sorry.”

That voice is Liu Lan's voice. It's his little voice.

"I'm sorry. You have every right to be angry.”

He continues.  
Li Quan looks up and sees Liu Lan staring at him.  
Quietly, quietly, Liu Lan looks at Li Quan. His eyes are sad.

Eventually, he says, "I'm going back to the stables" and starts to walk towards the stabling area.  
Li Quan also starts to walk back to his room.  
However the bitterness in his mouth doesn't go away for a while.


	12. Chapter 12

As he walks towards the stables, Liu Lan changes from his human form to that of a horse.

This is the place where he is allowed to change without a knight by his side, because the "tower" is close and under the influence of magic. However at the same time, this is the corridor of the castle, neatly laid with shiny beautiful white stones. When big Qi Ji is there, walking around, people will be surprised to see him. The people in the castle must think it is strange.

Sure enough, when people pass by Liu Lan and see him in the form of a horse, they look scared or roll their eyes. They rush away from Liu Lan and avoid him close to the wall.  
Then they glance at Liu Lan. 

Qi Ji is like a spectacle.  
They are told that they are “the holy”,”the spiritual”,"national treasures" or "incarnations of national guardians", but in reality they are considered "strange creature". Perhaps.  
  
Because he doesn't like people glancing at him like that, Liu Lan usually tries to look like a human.  
However right now, he doesn't want to be a human. So he changed himself into a horse.

In his heart he says to himself.  
(I must have failed.)

As Liu Lan is walking back to the stables, he thinks about what he has just done.  
When he is in horse form, people look at him strangely. However there is one good thing about this change of appearance. No one knows what he is thinking.

Liu Lan thinks that if he were a human being now, his face would be very depressed and irritated.  
He doesn't want to show such a face to others.  
It is said that Liu Lan is a bad-tempered Qi Ji, but he doesn't want to intimidate people for no reason.  
  
However as he walks by himself, the expression on Li Quan's face comes back to him again and again. And each time, he feels a twinge in his heart.

Liu Lan hates knights.  
So he doesn’t like Li Quan.  
  
However.

He hates it even more when Li Quan is in pain.  
And the reason is that it's not Liu Lan's fault. He don't like that very much.

Those men are not as good as Li Quan in terms of appearance and attitude.

Liu Lan thinks.  
(I get annoyed when I think of those guys......)

They are a lousy knight and a cavalryman who couldn't be a knight. They are absolutely hopeless.

(And yet they complain about my knight.)

It was very disgusting to Liu Lan.  
So he interrupted them.

—— However.  
  
As a result, Liu Lan has hurt Li Quan. He has hurt he more deeply.  
Liu Lan can't stop being annoyed by this.

He doesn't mind if Li Quan gets angry.  
Don't mind being scolded. Don't mind being whipped.  
Because it's just that he've experienced these things many times before, when he was turned from a human being into Qi Ji and was thrown into a training facility to be trained.

However.......

(I can't stand to see him like that......)

Liu Lan thinks.

He doesn't know what to do, he thinks, because Li Quan looked as if he was crying without speaking.  
Li Quan was angry because Liu Lan had hurt his pride.  
He scolded Liu Lan. At the same time, he glared at Liu Lan, trying not to cry.

Liu Lan's attitude is not very cute.  
However because he is like that, Liu Lan wants to protect him.

(Why does Li Quan have such a complicated personality? ......)

Liu Lan lets out a small sigh.

When he thinks back, he was definitely a bit too forward.  
So he predicted that Li Quan might be angry with him.  
In fact, what Li Quan said in anger was almost exactly what Liu Lan expected.  
However something happened that he didn't expect.

Li Quan not only blamed Liu Lan, but also blamed himself.  
He was ashamed that Qi Ji had defended him and he blamed himself.

(Oh my God, that knight is ......)  
Liu Lan murmurs in his mind.

Why is he so strict with himself? He is too strict.  
Li Quan should have been satisfied with getting angry at Qi Ji for not listening to him. That was all he needed to do.  
However because he was too hard on himself, he hurt himself too.

It was Liu Lan's attitude that triggered this incident. Therefore, Liu Lan thinks it was good that he was able to apologise to Li Quan.

However Liu Lan doesn't know whether his apology was really a good thing or not. He doesn't know if Li Quan wanted Liu Lan's apology.  
  
Usually, Liu Lan doesn't apologize, because he hates bowing. However, Liu Lan apologized to Li Quan.  
So maybe Li Quan is more distressed.

Liu Lan thinks.  
(Li Quan is too serious......)  
(He is serious and polite. That's why he is hurt by the malice towards him.)  
(He should be more lax. Be more lax.)

Liu Lan, the famously lax Qi Ji, thinks about Li Quan with concern. He frowns, regretting his actions, which is unusual for him.

Will he lose touch with Li Quan because of his actions?  
He would like to think that our bond is not a shallow one. However, Liu Lan does not know how Li Quan feels about this.  
  
Liu Lan has no intention of riding other knights on his back. Not at all.  
However, Qi Ji has a rule that they cannot choose their knight.  
If he refuses the request of other knights, Liu Lan will be disposed of.

With these thoughts in mind, Liu Lan continues his walk.  
After passing several corridors, the scent of horse life becomes stronger and stronger as he continues walking.

Eventually, he returns to the stables area where he usually lives.


	13. Chapter 13

The stabling area is situated on the west and east sides of the Royal Castle.  
Here you will find ordinary horses and dozens of Qi Ji.  
The horses and Qi Ji live far apart and the stables for the males and mares are also far apart. However, in the big demarcation, they are treated as "the same area".

There are separate stalls for each individual horse, several large pastures and a playground. There is also a clinic and a training ground. Here they can live as a horse or as a person.

Liu Lan has been away on an expedition and has not been home for about ten days.  
He passes a number of Qi Ji. They are in the form of horses or people.  
Seeing them, Liu Lan thinks, "This place has not changed.” As he makes his way to his stall, a voice calls out to him.

"Welcome back. Good work.”

It is Qi Ji, a man older than Liu Lan. He comes up to Liu Lan, smiling.  
His name is Qiang.  
He is an excellent and experienced Qi Ji who used to be a 'King's Qi Ji', a group of Qi Ji exclusively for the royal family.

He is too old to be working on the front line now.  
However, he is respected by many for his experience. Qi Ji trainers often ask him for his opinion.  
His job now is as an adviser, using his experience as Qi Ji to help co-ordinate the work of fellows.

It's one of the ideal last years for the ageing Qi Ji.

There are few options for Qi Ji's future.  
If a Qi Ji achieving special win distinction, that Qi Ji will be taken care of until he dies in a home for aged.  
Furthermore, if they are very lucky, they will be allowed to breed in order to produce offspring.  
Otherwise, if they are of good character and there is a vacancy, they can live the rest of their lives as Qi Ji for training in the knight school.

However, the end of any other Qi Ji is miserable.

Qi Ji is a human and a horse. That is to say, it is neither a human nor a horse. They can't live a normal life.  
So, when they are no longer useful, they are disposed of. Liu Lan has seen many Qi Ji disposed in the past.

Liu Lan does not stop. Instead, he bows his head lightly and greets him.  
The older Qi Ji tilts his head curiously and asks Liu Lan.

“What's the matter, Liu Lan? It's unusual for you to be in the form of a horse. Have you lost the ability to change into human form now?”

If Qi Ji is very tired, under a lot of stress for a long time or overexcited, he may not be able to change from human form to horse form or from horse form to human form.

Liu Lan, however, does not reply clearly.  
He just shakes his head vaguely. Because he feels that he cannot answer well. And because he doesn't want to say too much.

Qiang looks at Liu Lan’s attitude and squints.  
Usually, Liu Lan talks too much. Qiang thinks that there is something wrong with Liu Lan because he doesn't talk now.

Qiang, whether in horse form or human form, has a distinctly mature and good-looking atmosphere about him. So he looks good whatever he does.

However before he will open his mouth again, a man in a white coat with long hair tied loosely comes running up to them.

"Welcome back, Liu Lan! How are you feeling?”

He is a sorcerer, one of the doctors of Qi Ji and horses. His name is Deng-Shi.  
He is very young looking, about the same age as Li Quan, and his white coat somehow doesn't suit him. He looks childish and undignified.  
However he is actually a very good doctor. He graduated from the Royal School with excellent grades and is now working in his current job.

Deng-Shi smiles and walks up to Liu Lan and lightly taps him on the shoulder and back to show his appreciation and to make sure that he is not injured.  
Deng-Shi then looks at Liu Lan straight in the eye.

“There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the body from a light touch. During the expedition and after the battle, you checkedup your whole body, didn't you? Both as a horse and as a human.”

Asked by Deng-Shi, Liu Lan nods.  
Deng-Shi nodes and says, "Good, good.” And he squats down to check Liu Lan's legs.  
He pats Liu Lan's four legs quickly and then stands up.

“Your legs are fine.”

His face is relieved. He strokes Liu Lan's body again and continues.

"Qi Ji's checkup needs to be done very carefully, so we will go over it again tomorrow or the day after. At the clinic. However the way you look now, there's probably nothing wrong with you.”

“…………”

However Liu Lan does not reply to the doctor's words.  
Deng-Shi calls Liu Lan anxiously.

"Liu Lan? Liu Lan?”

Deng-Shi stops stroking Liu Lan and asks.

"Liu Lan, is there something bothering you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? Are you sure there is nothing wrong with you?”

Deng-Shi's eyes are serious. His face looks more mature than his age. It is the face of a professional.

In fact, he has helped many Qi Ji as a doctor with his talent, diligence and good eyesight.  
When Deng-Shi saw Liu Lan, he must have thought that something was wrong. Because he stared at Liu Lan and gently remonstrated.

"Liu Lan, you've just come back from an expedition, so it's not strange that you have problems. It's OK to have problems. It is not a sign of weakness if you tell us about them. You won't be scolded for it. In fact, the sooner you tell the truth about any injury or illness, the better, because the sooner it is treated, the sooner it will heal. If you don't want to talk to me, you can tell Qiang. Or do you want me to go to the clinic now to have it checked out?”

Deng-Shi's kindness is well understood by Liu Lan.  
The doctor is one of the few allies Qi Ji has.  
However now Liu Lan is in a situation where he himself does not know what is happening to him.

Liu Lan shakes his head as if to refuse Deng-Shi's offer.

“It's all right. It's nothing you need to worry about.”

“Are you sure? You don't feel comfortable, do you? Do you feel any different from usual?”

“No.”

“If there's anything that bothers you, say it. Your leg?”

“Hmm. So…… if I feel uncomfortable, it's probably in my body.”

“In your body?”

Deng-Shi's voice is urgent.  
An abnormality in the inner body is often a serious illness. If it is in the inner of the leg, it will affect Qi Ji's running. It can be fatal.  
Deng-Shi speaks with a serious expression.

“Where? Leg?”

“I don't know.”  
Liu Lan shakes his head.

“I'm not sure. I'm not sure, but it's not my leg. It's the chest.”

“The chest? If it's deep in the chest, is it bone? Or is it the lungs? Hmm, let's have a quick check, shall we?”

Deng-Shi says with a look of impatience.  
However Liu Lan shakes his head again.

“It's all right. It's probably just my imagination. I don't think I'm actually injured. It's probably just tiredness. I should feel better soon. I can go back to my stall and rest for the rest of the day, can't I?”

“Yes, But are you sure you're all right?”

“Yes.”

Liu Lan nodded.

“When you know the date of the checkup, please let me know.”

Liu Lan started walking towards his stall.   
He knew that Qiang would follow him, but even turning him away seemed like a tiresome.


	14. Chapter 14

The stall is made up of a long stable block divided into smaller sections.  
For Qi Ji, it is the only place where he can have a private space.  
However, the room cannot be locked from the inside. And there are always people in the corridor in front of the room. Stable keepers and trainers who are always walking around. The doctors also come and go frequently, so there is very little privacy.  
Knights can also come and go as they please, but usually they only talk to the trainer, and if they have something to do with Qi Ji, they tell him through the trainer. So most knights don't come to the stall at all.

In the room there are many things, some of which are used in horse form and some of which are used in human form.  
Bed and stable litter, dishes and a manger for example.  
There are two types of most things in the room.

However, in Liu Lan's room, there are very few things.

Liu Lan returns to his stall and stirs the litter and sawdust with his feet. This is how he creates a comfortable place to sleep.  
He sits down and lies down on the stable litter. He then rolls over to make himself more comfortable.  
Each time he does this, the straw dances around him.

When he is in human form, he can sleep in a bed, but he is not ready for that yet. On the contrary, he wants to stay in the form of a horse.  
This idea is ridiculous. Liu Lan knows that. However even though he knows it's a silly idea, he can't stop thinking about it.  
His heart is in pain.

As he do so, he hear Qiang's voice.

“What's going on?”

He asks, crouching down beside Liu Lan, who is lying down.  
Qiang is always reliable. However now he has become an annoyance to Liu Lan.

“I'm just tired.”  
Liu Lan says.

“You should go away too.”

“............”

“I'll sleep.”

“What's going on. …………You and Li Quan?”

“Nothing.”

“............”

“Nothing. It's the same as usual. He got angry. I was scolded. It's always the same.”

On the surface, that's true.  
However in reality, .......

Liu Lan turns over to face the wall.

(Oh no. I was an idiot. I've done something really stupid.)

When he remembers, regret comes over him again.  
  
Liu Lan thinks.

I've done something that's not like me. I should not have got involved in the dispute between the knights. I should have left it alone.

(However)

Liu Lan mutters inside his heart.

However I would do the same thing again if I came across the same situation again.  


Because I couldn't stand to see Li Quan hurt by the slander about his father.   
He had always put up with whatever was said to him. However as soon as that men said something about his father, he couldn't stand it anymore.

Liu Lan is usually not interested in other people's affairs. He is not interested in the rumours of the world. However, even he knows about the disappearance of Li Quan's father. He also knows about that rumour.

The rumour is this.

"One day, a knight disappeared. And the mare he was riding, Qi Ji, also disappeared.”

Normally Qi Ji is kept under very strict control. They are not allowed to leave the stables area freely. Even if they tried to escape, it would be impossible because of the wards set up by the sorcerer.

And yet, the female Qi Ji has disappeared.

Ostensibly, it was a "coincidence". A knight just happened to disappear, and "coincidentally" his Qi Ji also disappeared at the same time.

However no one believes such a "coincidence".

Everyone talked about it.

“The knight and Qi Ji had become too ‘close’. So they must have run away together.”

Such rumours continue to be told as if they were true.

This rumour ridicules the great crime committed by the missing knight and disgraces him.  
  
This is because Qi Ji is a weapon that can take the form of a man, but can also change into the form of a horse(beast).

How could he disappear with such a strange creature!  
He must have been deluded by the beauty of Qi Ji's form!

So the rumours have been whispered for years by other knights and nobles who were jealous of his knightly prowess.

Each time, while hurting Li Quan over and over again.

Liu Lan thinks.

(Should I have covered Li Quan's ears then?)

Should I have done that if I wanted to protect him from the rantings of rude men?

No.

Liu Lan thinks.  
Li Quan does not want to be protected by Qi Ji in any way.  
  
  
It would be best if the rumours were stop. But that's not possible.

Because.  
Because the rumour, among the knights and nobles, is to disparage Li Quan's father, but among Qi Ji and others, it is a little different.

The missing knight and Qi Ji.  
The rumour continues to be whispered among Qi Ji as a dreamlike story. A dreamy tale of happiness, where Qi Ji finds freedom and love.  
A fairy tale.

Because such a thing can never happen in reality.

As a matter of fact, the knight is not attached to Qi Ji.  
Qi Ji is difficult to keep in condition. In addition, each Qi Ji has a different field of expertise. Those with speed, those with stamina, those that are strong against rough riding ground.That is why it is rare for a knight to ride one Qi Ji all the time.  
When a knight goes on an expedition, he chooses the Qi Ji that is in the best condition at the time. This is because he is more likely to take the credit.  
Of course, there are knights who are concerned about their compatibility with Qi Ji. However, most knights choose Qi Ji as if they were choosing the best tool at the time. They switch every time.  
Liu Lan always has a Li Quan on back, but such a Qi Ji is very rare.

  
However, the disappeared female Qi Ji is "Qi Ji with the blood of the founder". This Qi Ji is a special Qi Ji that can choose a knight. It is a Qi Ji with a strong bond with the knight.  
This is probably why the rumours are more believable.

However, can a knight and a Qi Ji really 'get close'?

"……Qiang.”

Liu Lan calls out to Qi Ji beside him.  
Qiang has been here for a long time. Liu Lan thought Qiang might know more about it.

However, Liu Lan stops saying it.  
  
Qiang looks curiously at Liu Lan, who turns away from him as if to flee.

Liu Lan says.  
“Nothing. I'll sleep.”

Closing his eyes, Liu Lan once again regrets his actions.

(What am I doing today? ......)

Liu Lan's heart still feels a stinging pain.  
He thinks.

  
What am I doing?  
Only the person in question knows the truth.  
There is no point in asking anyone else.  
  
(However I wanted him to deny the rumor.)

"There is no connection between Li Quan's father and the disappeared Qi Ji," ——Liu Lan hoped Qiang would say.

(I hoped that he would say that, so that I could ease Li Quan's pain.)  
(I'm such an idiot.)

If I could have done that, the rumours would have died out long ago.  
If there were people who knew the truth, rumours would not spread.  
Qiang doesn't know anything either.

Besides, Li Quan doesn't expect Qi Ji to do such a thing for him.  
He doesn't want to be helped by Liu Lan. I know it. So why did I try to do the same thing again?

Why did I want to help him?

(Oh, shit)

Liu Lan cursed herself. His heart tingles and he can't calm down.

(Damn ........... Must be because Li Quan didn't give me a reward. That's why I'm so weird today)

It's Li Quan's fault .......

Liu Lan imagines a beautiful knight behind his eyelids.  
In his memory, Li Quan has his own cold eyes. So Liu Lan is annoyed. However he is relieved.

It's okay, he thinks.

It's better to get angry at him than to have to see Li Quan crying without dropping tears.

Liu Lan tries to go to sleep.  
However his heart hurts didn't go away and he couldn' sleep easily.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.  
> This is translated with the permission of the author.  
> The original is here.  
> https://novel18.syosetu.com/n9052gn/ (R18)


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